The schedules of Civil Service commissioners have aligned, just in time for a Thursday hearing on the appeals of two Columbus police officers.
The three-member commission will hear the key and final witness, Columbus Police Chief Joseph St. John, during a special public meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday in the Municipal Complex.
St. John had been scheduled for a video deposition Thursday after calling in sick to a meeting June 17. He has since been suspended with pay until a City Council meeting July 19 after he allegedly tested positive for alcohol.
The commission decided then to postpone a verdict on the appeals of now-retired Lt. John Pevey, who is also a candidate for Lowndes County sheriff, and officer Richard Higgins until after receiving St. John”s testimony.
Both officers were suspended 20 workdays by the council in February after Higgins drove his car into a pool of water during a New Year”s Day storm. Pevey was accused of failing to properly report the incident.
But at the June 17 hearing, Pevey and his attorney, Shane McLaughlin, argued that Mayor Robert Smith had a vendetta against Pevey, which influenced his tie-breaking vote.
Pevey, McLaughlin said, had mentioned Smith in a daily email report that referenced a possible custody issue between Smith”s ex-wife and their daughter, even though no crime was involved.
According to McLaughlin, Smith was recorded telling Pevey during a meeting in St. John”s office that “This ain”t over.”
Pevey, who claims he went above and beyond police protocol when Higgins car was totaled, is asking the commission to drop his suspension. Higgins is asking that his suspension be significantly reduced.
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